With the Browns missing starting quarterback Derek Anderson, running back Jamal Lewis and wide receiver Braylon Edwards sitting out, Cleveland went through the defense on 11 plays before stalling at the eight-yard line and settling for a Phil Dawson 26-yard field goal.

Defensive tackles Tommie Harris and Dusty Dvoracek are also out.

Fourteen players are out for the Browns.

Nothing is new on his front. The Bears have an offer outstanding to Miller for the veteran minimum at $830,000. That would take advantage of the minimum salary benefit, meaning Miller would count only $445,000 vs. the salary cap.

To the mail:

Do you see Jamar Williams as only a special teams player this year barring injury? What about him switching over to Hunter Hillenmeyer's side?
 
Brent Dempsey, Parts Unknown

BRAD SAYS: Barring an injury, I think it will be tough for Williams to get much work on defense. He had been groomed for two years to replace Lance Briggs on the weak side his opening closed hen Briggs signed a six-year contract. While Williams is listed on the depth chart as the backup on the weak side, he's more like the No. 4 linebacker. If anything happens to one of the starters, I expect Williams to step on the field. He can play will, he can play strong and in the event something happens to Brian Urlacher, I'd expect Hillenmeyer to slide inside and Williams to play on the strong side. There's always a small movement out there to replace Hillenmeyer and he was one of the more productive players on defense last season. Consider Hillenmeyer was third on the team with 101 tackles and was on the sideline for a lot of the action as he came out in the nickel package.

Why is Nathan Vasher back to return a punt in the second half of an exhibition game? If he gets hurt someone should be fired.

Steve H., Oak Park

BRAD SAYS: When Vasher is on the field to return punts in preseason, it's usually with the instruction to simply call for a fair catch. He's the backup to Devin Hester and they want to get him experience catching the ball in a game situation without putting himself in harms way. Vasher doesn't have a return this preseason. Along these lines, don't look for Hester to return any kicks or punts Thursday night at Cleveland. It's my best guess they keep him out of those situations entirely to maintain his health.

The 2008 Sports Illustrated preview issue hit newsstands today and three Bears land on his list. It's probably not too hard to guess which three:

22. Tommie Harris (25 last year)

27. Brian Urlacher (7 last year)

34. Devin Hester (69 last year)

That being said, the preseason finale against Cleveland at the end of the summer in 2005 carried at least some interest. It marked the first start for rookie Kyle Orton after Chad Hutchinson had bombed out following Rex Grossman's broken ankle.

Worth watching when the Bears take the field Thursday night at Cleveland will be how the secondary is deployed. Don't expect the first-team units to be on the field long, but Danieal Manning made it known change is in the air when he was asked about the departure of Ricky Manning Jr., the former nickel back.

"Right now they are moving some stuff around,'' Danieal Manning said. ``They said they are going to try something different. Some stuff might change.''

He wasn't the defensive back whose blown assignment gave up a touchdown that got the Indianapolis Colts back into Super Bowl XLI.

The Bears signed Manning away from the Carolina Panthers as a restricted free agent in April 2006. He got a five-year deal that maxed out at $21 million, but didn't come close to banking that cash. The deal became smaller if Manning didn't hit certain play-time levels that more or less required him to be a starting cornerback.

Manning was well-liked by teammates but got into the doghouse early last season for his practice habits. It's the little things that coaches drill day in and day out that players need to heed. He had been a player who showed up on Sundays and then in 2007, like some other players on defense, Manning struggled. The writing was on the wall when rookie seventh-round pick Trumaine McBride was selected as a fill-in starter instead of him. You got the sense during minicamp where this thing was headed, that his departure was just a matter of time. He was happy to finally be cut loose.

Manning expressed some of those sentiments when he visited with Mac, Jurko and Harry this afternoon on ESPN-1000. Check out that interview right here.

The Bears are at 74 now following the termination of cornerback Ricky Manning Jr., giving them room to sign offensive tackle Fred Miller if he accepts their offer for the minimum of $830,000.

Because he is a vested veteran, he is free to sign with any club and chances are good he will have a job in the next week.

Harold Lewis said the Bears have offered Miller a one-year contract for the minimum of $830,000, and the Bucs have an offer on the table that is believed to be richer. Miller's family lives in the area and he has business interests here.

The Bears are also expected to part ways with cornerback Ricky Manning Jr. later today, one way or another. Manning was told to leave Halas Hall after he was removed from a meeting before practice. The Bears will grant him his release or trade him.

Check back later for more information.

When asked if Manning was still a member of the team, Smith replied, "He's not here. He didn't practice. If there is something official to announce, you'll hear with everyone else."

Manning did attend team meetings at Halas Hall this morning.

There was no sign of veteran cornerback Ricky Manning Jr. on the field.

That means:

1. Manning is not involved in special teams and showed up on the field after the press was ushered inside.

2. He developed an injury at some point Monday (he looked fine playing four square in the locker room after practice yesterday).

3. Something else is going on.

We'll look into it when practice ends.

*** Looks like ex-Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn could get his second consecutive start. Derek Anderson has been sidelined with a concussion. The Browns had 15 players inactive for their meeting with Detroit on Saturday and are trying to get healthy for their season opener against Dallas.

We will do our best to get to as many as possible and post them on Wednesday.

Looks like the team's public relations staff got to Williams a day late.

Talking Monday afternoon when he came off the field, Williams did a 180 from his candid comments the day before when he said that everyone knew he had a herniated disc when he was drafted. Angelo bristled at criticism received but the Bears never admitted Williams had a herniated disc, the same one that required surgery earlier this month.

Head trainer Tim Bream acknowledged Williams had a pre-existing back condition when the Bears drafted him, but it was a "stable herniation" that was not affecting Williams. There is a long history of players playing with similar conditions and Williams didn't miss time at Vanderbilt.

Williams' Q&A a day later ... notice the difference:

CAN YOU REMARK ON THE COMMENTS MADE SUNDAY?

I mean, there's no comments to be made, any more comments about medical stuff. If you want medical information, you have to talk to Tim or Coach [Lovie] Smith or Mr. Angelo. I'm in rehab now, I've had surgery and I'm getting better.

WERE YOU EVER ASKED BEFORE SUNDAY ABOUT A HERNIATED DISC?

Like I said, I'm not talking about medical stuff anymore. It's just a waste of everybody's time in general. We're playing the Colts in two weeks, we've got the Browns this week and that's what we're focused on as a team.